This past weekend was
incredibly warm for November. Sunday was David’s birthday—he turned 68. It was also
our Sonja’s birthday—she turned 43, but don’t tell her I told you that.
In years past, David and I
would take the gang out to one of our better Steakhouse chains in the area for
a supper, complete with a plethora of appetizers as well as desserts for those
who wished to indulge. If I get any dessert at that restaurant it’s usually a
tiny crème brûlée, because I’m not a fan of anything overly sweet. The restaurant provides a complementary and
very large piece of an ice cream cake with whipped cream and lots of rich chocolate
for each birthday celebrant. It’s far too big of a portion for one person to
eat. So generally, everyone else gets a fork and the two pieces of cake are
shared.
This year is different, of
course, but thanks to the cooperation of the weather (it hit 70 on Sunday), we
hosted an outdoor “barbeque” where steak and garlic shrimp skewers were the
main entrees. We also served a few grilled burgers and some boneless, skinless
chicken breasts cooked in foil. There were seven adults at this outdoor celebration
and one baby, not too big a crowd, and we have all been very careful in these
times to keep ourselves safe.
The number of active cases of
Covid-19 in our combined county/city on Sunday was 77, down from 79 the day
before. Also, the week ending November 8th has been the worst week for new
cases here since the pandemic began, with 61 new positive tests for the week
ending Sunday. The virus and its continued reign over our lives is one
stressful element that will continue on for some time to come.
How are you feeling now that
we’re well into November? Would it surprise you to learn that every single
person up here who I have spoken to feels a tremendous sense of relief beginning
Saturday? One thing that has become apparent to me over the years is that not all
news casts are created equal. We always would watch Canadian, American and
British news to get the best, most well-rounded picture of what’s really going
on in the world. We still do that, but perhaps not as devotedly as once we did.
Perspective is an interesting
phenomenon, don’t you think?
As we take time on this Remembrance
Day/Veterans’ Day today to honor the sacrifices of all those who gave their
lives in the major wars of the twentieth century, I hope we devote a few
minutes to trying to put ourselves in their “heads”.
What was it that they believed
to be so precious, so sacred, that they stepped up and volunteered to wear the
cloth of their country? What great cause moved them to accept a weapon and, not
only put themselves in harm’s way, but be willing take the lives of others?
These were ordinary people who
said, “I’ll go.” They had families they loved and lives they were living, and
yet, they went to war, and many never came home. Why would they do that?
It must have been something extraordinary, don’t you think?
I’ll never forget the snippet
of an interview I saw with a man who, in his halting English, explained why he
had risked his life to come to our country, and why, on the cusp of voting for
the first time, he had tears on his cheeks. His eyes glistening, he whispered
one word: freedom.
I had never heard that word
said with such majestic reverence before. We perhaps are guilty of taking the splendid
idea represented by that word, that concept, for granted. Those of us who were
born from the twentieth century forward here in Canada and in the United States,
have, for the most part, always been free.
I also recall the warnings,
issued in high school by history and sociology teachers alike that we must guard
our freedom, for it could be taken from us. These warnings came particularly on
special days of commemoration, like today. Maybe at the time we shrugged those
warnings off, believing that nothing like that could ever happen here.
Certainly not to us, and certainly not here.
If the last four years have
taught us anything, it is that we can indeed have our freedom stolen from us
because that very nearly happened. And we’ve learned that democracy is more fragile
than we knew, and we must do all we can to guard it.
Freedom isn’t free; and it isn’t
infinite. My freedom to act how I choose has a limit, and that, of course, is
where my actions would harm you. Because I am convinced by the science,
I wear a mask when I leave my house; I keep my distance from anyone not of my
household; I wash my hands with sanitizer while I am out, and give them a good scrubbing
when I get home.
I do this to protect you and I
pray with great fervor that all y’all will do that, to protect me. And if you
need further convincing, I leave you with this thought:
When have you ever been given
such a simple, no-sweat way to save a life and be a hero?
Love,
Morgan
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury
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